This project pertains to the spotted fever problem in the United States and includes studies related to the ecology of the etiologic agent, Rickettsia rickettsii, and related tick-borne agents. Efforts will be continued to provide directions and research support to state health departments, public health laboratories, university research units, etc., in establishing educational programs and surveys, and in training personnel in recently developed diagnostic procedures. Tick/rickettsial surveys will be conducted in North Carolina, Long Island (New York), and in the state of Washington. In addition, work is being continued to define the nature and relationships of rickettsia-like microorganisms detected in and isolated from various tick vectors to the pathogenic rickettsial agents, particularly R. rickettsii.